WINNER: RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS
Sol Plaatje University Residence, Kimberley
T
he Moroka Student Residence was designed
and built for the Sol Plaatje University in
Kimberley. The ground floor accommodates
communal and public facilities, with four floors
of apartment style student residence above.
The residence is an integral part of the learning
environment and is located within the central
campus precinct adjacent to key lecture facilities.
Creating an environment in which learning extends
beyond the confines of the lecture venue and
onto the walkways and lounges, this extension is
intended to provide a secure and comfortable living
environment, which fosters a sense of belonging
amongst students. The Urban Design Framework
sets the urban spatial parameters with the objective
of creating a well-defined lively urban environment.
In response to this, the large communal spaces of
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the residence are located on the ground floor facing
onto the semi-public square. Several small retail
shops and laundromat and offices are located on
the ground floor facing onto the main public square
and Scanlan Street. These facilities were positioned
in an effort to activate the building edges and public
spaces, establishing a real connection between
the city and the university as an urban campus.
Effort was made to give the building a contextual
relevance. The design includes a unique narrative in
the form of a landscape depiction of the Northern
Cape laser cut into the 375m of balustrades and a
sun screen running 74m. This design runs the length
of the public square with images and markings of
human endeavour particular to the rich heritage of
the Northern Cape cut into the steel plate.
The apartment model is central to this social
structure. Each apartment consists of six to
eight rooms with a shared ablution, kitchenette
and living space per apartment. Seminar rooms
for group work and club gatherings are located
between apartments, as are informal gathering
spaces, creating opportunities for constructive
social interaction.
The building optimises passive thermal comfort
through optimal orientation of the rooms; aug-
mented by a highly efficient TABs system. The
aesthetics and materiality of the building make
use of honest and robust materials to achieve a
stylish, low maintenance building.
Architect: Activate Architecture
Development and Design Framework:
Ludwig Hansen Architects
Project Managers: Aecom
Quantity Surveyors: LimCo QS
Civil Engineers & Fire Consultants: Aurecon
Structural Engineers: Element Consulting
Electrical Engineers: Civil Sense
Mechanical Engineers: Royal Haskoning DHV
Green Consultants: PJ Carew Consulting
Landscape Architects: Insite
Main Contractor: Qualicon Construction
SAPOA Awards